Zia Nabavi Released from Evin Prison After Completing His Sentence

Political prisoner Zia Nabavi was released from Evin Prison on Monday, December 1 (10 Azar), after completing his prison term.

According to his lawyer, Amir Raeesian, Nabavi’s release became possible after a nationwide directive issued in September reduced his sentence by four months. He was freed after serving one year and eight months in prison.

Nabavi had been arrested on April 6 of last year to serve a previously issued prison sentence and was transferred to Evin. After completing his earlier sentence, the judiciary refused to merge his multiple convictions, resulting in the enforcement of an additional one-year term. This sentence was related to his public criticism of the downing of the Ukrainian passenger plane in 2019, and it was upheld by the appeals court.

In August 2023, Nabavi was also sentenced by the Tehran Revolutionary Court to one year in prison for criticizing the government’s handling of the wave of schoolgirl poisonings; this ruling was likewise confirmed at the appeals stage.

Zia Nabavi has been detained and prosecuted several times in the past for his civic and political activism.